The time is officially here where the HOW Forum, which has grown so nicely thanks to all of your support, is being switched over to a new server that can better handle the amount of traffic.

We thank you for your continued patience in the time leading up to this transition. During a few hours today, the forum may be shut down, as to ensure that the transition happens smoothly without any of our favorite threads being lost.

Please bear with us a little longer. Our emedia team is working hard to make sure the forum is preserved during this switch.

Posted by Jessie

This week's Desktop Wallpaper Project submission at Kitsune Noir is from Will Bryant, a designer who will be featured in our upcoming Young Creatives issue in August. Never one to take the easy road, Bryant designed 5 different wallpapers to suit your ever changing moods.

Posted by Megan

Good news! We've extended the HOW Conference Early-Bird deadline to May 1.

The Conference is later than usual this year—at the end of June—so we want to make sure you have plenty of time to get registered before the $100 savings expire. (And Uncle Sam has plenty of time to send you that tax refund.)

We've also opened up daily and individual session registration so you can build your program by targeting the information that's most important to you. Sign up for the whole Conference, individual days or particular sessions—you determine the program; you determine the rate!

And last but not least, we've added a special panel session on Friday morning to specifically address the effects the economy's having on the design industry. The session will be driven by your questions and concerns—find out more here.

Senior Graphic Designer
Blizzard Entertainment, Irvine, CA

Blizzard Entertainment's marketing team is looking for an extraordinary graphic designer with strong concepting skills who has worked for at least five years art-directing (and manipulating, modifying, finessing, colorizing, etc.) keyart in the entertainment industry. The ideal candidate should have an awareness of current trends in marketing, web communication, and new media. Strong communication skills are required for presenting concepts and art-directing illustration.

Posted by Megan

I've always like Hammerpress's line of everyday greeting cards, but today I found some new faves: a series of five card featuring ridiculously cute animals, including a yeti and a whale.

Posted by Megan

Senior Graphic Designer
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

The Walker Art Center, a multidisciplinary arts museum, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, seeks a senior graphic designer to join its award-winning design studio. Reporting to the Design Director, the senior graphic designer plays an important role in creating and evolving the visual identity of the institution. The recipient of more than 100 design awards, the design studio is a professionally managed operation that produces all print communications for the Walker. We work closely with colleagues in the New Media Initiatives and Marketing and Public Relations departments as well as other support and programming areas of the institution.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Design printed materials for various departments including Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film/Video, Design, Education, Membership and Development, and New Media Initiatives. Range of printed matter encompasses invitations, banners, exhibition graphics, brochures, gallery guides, flyers, posters, etc. Design and assist in the development of Walker publications and catalogues, working with both the Design Director and Publications Director as needed; and in the on-going development of the institutional identity, major campaigns, and leading major design projects.

Posted by Megan

This altered eye chart by illustrator Adam Ziskie makes me think his heart has really been broken recently. In any case, it's the perfect combination of humor and sadness. All great art is bittersweet.

Posted by Megan

Check out the April Top 10 Sites for Designers:

3 Advertising
3 is a full-service advertising and design firm based in Albuquerque, NM, with clients from around the U.S.

IKEA PS Never Ending Design Stories
Welcome behind the cardboard scenes of the IKEA PS world. Find out how a chair becomes a floor clock and what Swedish potatoes and storage crates have in common.

j3 Productions
This small Irvine, CA-based design firm has some cool clients.

LANDFILL
LANDFILL is an annual publication. The premiere issue, Second Chances, is a conceptual project about environmentally friendly papers and printing. Designed by Brian Ponto, with the collaboration of the Greg Barber Co. and Mohawk Paper.

Oh So Beautiful Paper
A blog dedicated to all things paper, with a particular focus on showcasing independent design studios and providing design inspiration for unique wedding invitations.

Poketo
Poketo is a designer of limited edition art products, accessories, apparel, and decor. Poketo specializes in collaborating with top international artists making functional wares with original designs. Their motto is "art for your everyday" and it definitely is!

Sephm
Online playground/portfolio of flash addict Joseph Mayol.

Twistedfork
Dan Matutina is a multidisciplinary designer from the Philippines who does a lot of socially-conscious work.

Will Staehle
Will Staehle is a designer, illustrator and purveyor of fine Victorian-inspired goods.

wink
A multi-disciplinary design firm that aspires to not only impact commerce, but culture.

Posted by Megan

Design twitterer nsquaredesign, just pointed out a fantastic, non-traditional wedding invitation with nary a script face in sight.

Posted by Megan